Packaging machine



June 11, 1940. s, R, HOWARD 2,204,134

PACKAGING IACHINE Original File d May 12, 1936 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 attorney June 11, 1940.

l s. R. HOWARD 2,204,134

PACKAGING MACHINE l1 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 12, 1936 Shh-l I?- M.)

Snvcntor Gttorncg June 11, 1940 s. R. HOWARD PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed May 12, 1936 ll Sheets-Sheet 3 attorney June 11, 1940- s R. HOWARD 2,204,134

PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed May 12, 1936 v 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 Zhwento'r (Ittomeg June 11, 1940. s. R. HOWARD PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed May 12, 1936 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 M 2 (Efforts? June 11, 1940. s. R. HOWARD 2,204,134

PACKAGING MACHINE- Original Filed May 12, 19:56 11 Sheets-Sheet s lhmentor M K. M 14. N l M June 11, 1940. s. R. HOWARD 2,204,134

PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed May 12, 1936 ll Shegts-Sheet 7 mwentor Gttorneg June 11, 1940. s. R. HOWARD 2,204,134

PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed May 12, 1936 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 3 nbentox :4 :2 1w y. 54-24;, emu,

(Ittomeg June 11, 1940. s. R. HOWARD v PACKAGING MACHINE 7 Original Filed May 12, 1956 ll Sheets-Sheet- 9 June 11, 1940.

S. R. HOWARD PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed May 12,

11 She ets-Sheet 130 (Itforneg June 11, 1940. s. R. HOWARD 2,204,134

PACKAGING MACHINE Original Filed May 12, 1936 f 1-L \S heetsSheet 11 Zmnentor W7 @MQLLLI (Ittorneg Patented June 11, 1940' UNITED STATES PACKAGING MACHINE Stanley R. Howard, Milton, Mass, assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Limited, Quincy, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Original application May 12, 1936, Serial No.

Divided and this application July 30,

1937, Serial No. 156,537

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a packaging machine, and particularly to a weighing machine.

In general, the invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved weighing machine, and more particularly an automatic weighing machine which is adapted to handle, weigh and package fiowable solid material in an efficient, rapid, accurate and economical manner.

With this general object in view, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the weighing machine and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly detig'lned in the claims at the end of thisspecificaion.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation viewed from the left of Fig. 1, showing the driving mechanism; Fig 4 is a partial side elevation viewed from the right in Fig. 1; Figs. 5 and 6 are front and side elevations respectively of a part of the weighing mechanism; Fig. '7 is an enlarged side elevation of the feed hopper with one side removed and some of the parts in section; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is an enlarged front elevation of the upper portion of the driving mechanism with some of the parts in section; Fig. 10 is a section on the line l0l0 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a plan view of the pawl stop mechanism; Fig. 13 is a rear elevation of a portion of the machine illustrating operating and control mechanism; Fig. 14 is a detail in section illustrating the control and operating. mechanism; Fig. 15 is a wiring diagram to be referred to; Figs. 16, 1'7 and 18 are detail views of the overload safety cam shown in different positions of operation; Fig. 19 is a detail view of the scale locking mechanism; Fig. 20 is a detail view of the shutter operating cam; Fig. 21 is a detail in perspective of the controlling clutch and pawl stops; Fig. 22 is a plan view of the conveyor; Figs. 23 and 24 are detail views of the safety device on the conveyor; Fig. 25 is a detail in section on the line 25-45 of Fig. 22; Fig. 26 is a; detail in front elevation of a portion 50- of the conveyor mechanism; and Fig. 27 is a section on the line 21-21 of Fig. 22. 1

Referring now to the drawings, in the illustrated machinesix duplicate units are operatively mounted upon a frame. Each unit includes mechanism for withdrawing flowable solid material from a bulk supply and weighing the same. Each unit is further provided with mechanism for compressing the weighed load and introducing it into a container. The various operations of the weigh:

lng end of the machine are divided into two separate and distinct cycles in the operation of the machine, whereby the bulk load is weighed during the first cycle and the finished weight is performed during the second cycle, and the operation of the various units are so related that before the machine can start upon a succeeding cycle, each unit must have completed all of its own individual weighing operations. When the last scale has made its weight, during the second cycle the material is discharged by all of the units into the mechanism by which it is compressed and delivered into the containers. The compressing mechanism in the illustrated machine and the delivery of the material into the containers of the various units operate in timedv bulk stream and a drip stream of the material is permitted to flow from the hopper onto the scale and upon completion of this weighing operation the supply is cut oil. During the second weighing operation, the drip stream only is permitted to flow onto the scale to complete the Weight whereupon the supply is again cut off, as will be hereinafter more fully described. In its preferred form the invention contemplates the provision of a weighing machine having a scale beam, material feeding means, and control mechanism for controlling the operation of the material feed ing means from the scale beam, together with operating means for causing these mechanisms to function at each cycle of operation of the machine, and the weighing machine is further provided with mechanism for discharging the finished load, mechanism for decreasing the effective counterweight upon the scale beam, and mechanism for varying the size of the stream of material being fed, together with operating mechanism for making these last mentioned mechanisms function at every other cycle of the machine, whereby the scale beam, material feeding means, and control mechanism, above re ferred to, may be utilized to weigh first the bulk load, and then the finished load. The different features of the invention may and preferably will be embodied in a multi-unit machine, as will be described. In the preferred and illustrated machine the several scales making up the multiple weighing machine are controlled in their action by a one revolution clutch which is permitted to make one revolution for each cycle of operation of the machine. The one revolution clutch is geared to the camshaft at a ratio of 2 to 1 -face of the casting i1.

so that one revolution of the clutch will revolve the cam shaft one half a revolution. In the following. description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that one cycle of operation will refer *0 one half a revolution of the cam shaft and that a complete revolution of the cam shaft is equivalent to two cycles of operation with reference to the one revolution controlling clutch. Thus during the first cycle of operation of the weighing machine, the bulk load is weighed, while during the second cycle of operation a relatively small increment of material is added to bring the bulk load to a predetermined finished weight.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 4, '7 and 8, |0 represents a storage hopper for the bulk supply of material to be weighed and from which the material flows by gravity downwardly into the bulk and drip stream passages of each unit indicated generally at l2, M. The combined bulk and drip stream passages are formed within a U-shaped casting indicated at I! which is secured by screw bolts it to a part of the machine frame indicated at I8 and a partition member secured within the interior of the U-shaped casting serves to sub-divide the interior thereof into the drip stream chamber and the bulk stream chamber. The open face of the U-shaped casting is closed by adjustable plates and the partition member co-operates with a fluted feed drum to form and control the passage of the material into the drip stream chamber. As best illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the upper plate is supported upon one arm 22 of a bell crank loose upon a shaft 24, the second arm 26 of the bell crank being provided with a swivel connection 28 through a hole in which a threaded rod 30 is arranged to slidably extend. The threaded rod 30 is connected at one end to a lever 32 which is keyed to the shaft, and provision is made for rocking the bell crank on the shaft by a nut 34 engaging one surface of the swivel connection and by a hand wheel 36 screwed upon the threaded rod and engaging the opposite surface of the swivel connection. A locking wing nut 38 is provided for locking the parts in adjusted position. With this construction the operator may individually adjust each plate by screwing the nuts 34, 36, 38 upon the threaded rod 30 and thereby rock the bell crank upon the shaft. It

. is desirable, as will be pointed out, to provide this adjustment in order to control the flow of goods into the bulk stream chamber upon rotation of the feed drum. As illustrated in Fig. '7, the plate 2| is mounted on a bracket 23 which is connected through a pin and slot connection 25 to the arm 22. The upper edge of the plate 2| is arranged to bear against a depending member 21 which extends across the upper portion of the open In order to maintain the plate 2| in contact with the member 21, a coil spring 29 is provided which extends between the rear face of the bracket 23 and the outermost end of the arm 22. Thus, the spring 29 tends to urge the plate 2| forwardly while the pin and slot connection 25 permits the pivotal point to be changed when the arm 22 is rocked.

In order to maintain the plate 2| substantially vertical, a second pin and slot connection 3| is provided, the pin being secured in the casting l1 and extended through a slot provided in the bracket 23. Thus, in operation, when the arm 22 is rocked, the plate.2| is permitted to move vertically but is held from pivotal movement by the pin and slot connection 3|. An intermediate plate 33, as herein shown, is hingedly mounted to the lower portion of the bracket 23 and extends over a lower plate 50 so that when the plate 2| is adjusted vertically the plate 33 will slide on the top edge of plate 50 to maintain the intermediate portion of the open face of the casting I! closed. In order to permit the operator to simultaneously adjust all of the plates of the various units of the machine the shaft 24 is provided at one end thereof with an arm 40, see Fig. 2, and the arm 40 is connected by a vertically extended rod 44, the lower end of which passes freely through a bearing member and is threaded and provided with a nut 46 and hand wheel I! for effecting vertical movement of the rod. In this manner the operator may simultaneously adjust the position of the various upper plates with respect to a fluted feed drum- 49 by vertically moving the rod through manipulation of the nut and hand wheel and rocking the shaft 24, and consequently the bell crank which is secured thereto, through the rod 30 and arm 32 keyed to the shaft.

The lower, portion of the front of the U-shaped casting above referred to is closed by a lower plate 50. As illustrated in Fig. 7 the plate 50 is pivotally secured by a rod 52 to the walls of the U-shaped casting and is adjustably' secured in different positions by a bolt 53 extended through a slot in an car 54 formed upon the outer surface of the plate 50. The bolt 53 is arranged to screw into one of the walls of the U-shaped casting. The flow of the goods from the bulk stream chamber through the mouth or discharge orifice is controlled by a gate member 56 secured upon an arm 58 which is arranged to be closed at the completion of each weighing operation. A guide member 59 cooperates with the under surface of the gate and a scraper or wiper cooperates with the upper surface of the gate, as illustrated in Fig. 7.

From the description thus far it will be observed that during the operation of the machine the bulk load is discharged from the bulk stream chamber I 2 whenever the gate 56 is withdrawn and that during the period in the operation of the machine that the gate is closed, a succeeding bulk load or portion thereof accumulates within the bulk stream chamber i2, particularly during the continued rotation of the fluted feed drum 49 as the drip stream is being fed through the drip stream chamber H.

Each unit of the machine is provided with a scale beam 6|! of any usual or preferred construction having the usual counterweight 62 on one end of the beam, and as herein shown having a bucket 54 suspended upon the second end of the beam and into which the goods are weighed from the bulk and drip stream chambers above described. Provision is made in the illustrated machine for operating the scale beam so as to permit it to perform two weighing operations. The first weighing operation is utilized in weighing into the bucket 64 the primary load and at the end of this weighing operation the gate weighing operation, when final weight has been reached, the gate is again released into a position to close the drip stream chamber, such position being illustrated in Fig. 4.

In the illustrated machine the counterweight is of a predetermined amount corresponding to the total load, and in order to permit the first weighing operation to be performed and the scale beam to operate when a bulk load has been delivered into the bucket and in an amount substantially less than the final or total load the scale beam is provided with a spring 66 coopcrating therewith to offset a portion of the counterweight 62. As illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, each spring 66 is connected at its upper end to a slotted member or plate 68 having a slot therein through which a pin 10 secured to the scale beam is arranged to extend, and during the first weighing operation the tension in the spring is transmitted to the scale beam by the engagement of the upper end of the slotted member 68 with the pin,10. The lower end of the spring is connected to an arm 12 on a cross shaft 14 extended transversely across the entire machine, and the shaft has keyed or otherwise secured to it a second arm 16 having a latching pin 10 adapted to cooperate with thediiferent holes'in a segmental bracket 80 secured to the machine frame to thereby enablevarying tensions to be placed upon the spring 66 depending upon the amount of the loads upon which the machine is operated. At the end of the first weighing operation, provision is made for disengaging the spring from the scale beam and for permitting the scale beam to operate during the second weighing operation under the influence of the total counterweight 62 'and as herein shown the upper end of the slotted plate 68 is provided with a pin 82 which is arranged to extend through a slot formed in a link 84 connected at its upper end to a lever 86 secured to a cross shaft 86 extended transversely across the entire machine. The cross shaft 88 has secured to it a second arm 90 connected by a link 92 to one arm 94-of a bell crank pivoted upon a second cross shaft 96, and a cam roller 88 upon the second arm I of the bell crank cooperates with a cam I02 on a'cam shaft I04 driven as will be described. Provision is made, as will be described, for rotating the cam shaft I04 and cam I02 to effect the disengagement ofthe spring 66 from the scale beam 60 in definite relation to the movements of the scale beam. In other words, at the end of the first weighing operation'when the scale beam makes its weight and the gate 56 cuts oil the supply of material, the cam shaft is arranged to be started in its rotation and permitted to continue for one-half revolution. In this manner the spring is disengaged from the scale beam at a predetermined-time after the scale beam completes-its first weighing operation. The connectionbetween the link 84 and the slotted piece 60 x is as above set forth accomplished by a pin and slot connection, and duringfthe period that the scale beam is perforr'ningjts first'weighing operation, the slottedmember 60 will rest against the pin 10 and will in effect-counteract a portion of the counterweight 62. At the end of the first weighing operation, when the cam I02 has operated through the linkage above described to lift the slotted piece 60 and remove the spring 66 from its cooperation with the scale beam 60, the pin 10 attached to the scale beam will be disposed centrally of the slot in the slotted piece 60 (to thereby free the scale beam so that the operating mechanism does not interfere with the weighing operation). After the spring 66 has thus been freed from the scale beam 60, the additional effect of the counterweight 62 operates to reset the scale beam without the necessity of more positive resetting operations.

Provision is made for opening the shutter or gate 56 and as herein shown, see Figs. 2 and 20, all the gates are opened simultaneously, at the beginning of each cycle of operation of the machine from a rocker shaft H6. The shaft H6 is rocked by a cam II3 secured to the cam shaft I04 which cooperates with a roller II5 mounted in a lever II,1 secured to the rocker shaft Il6. Each shutter opening unit is provided with a lever II9 fixed to the shaft H6 and connected to one arm I2I of a bell crank pivoted at I23 in the' side of the hopper. The second arm I25 -is operatively connected to the shutter arm 50 by a rod I21 and as herein shown the shutter arm is provided with a swivel connection I29 through which the rod I21 is free to slide. A nut I3I on the end of the rod I21 engages the swivel connection to open the shutter. It will be observed that the cam H3 is provided with two lobes I33 and I35, so that during the first cycle or bulk load weighing operation, the lobe I35 will cause the shutter to be opened to its wide open position such,

as is illustrated in Fig. 2, and during the second cycle or final weighing operation, the lobe I33 will cause the shutter to be partially opened, such as is illustrated in Fig. 7, through the connections described. The roller I I5 is held against the cam II3 by a spring I31 connected to a lever I39 secured to the rocker shaft II6. In the operation of the device when the shutter is opened, it is held open by a latching device as will be described, and during the continued rotation of the cam II3 the connecting rod I21 will slide through the swivel connection I28 to await the next cycle of operation.

.Before the scale beam makes its weight during the first weighing operation, the shutter or gate 56 is held in an open position such as is illustrated in Fig. 2 by the engagement of a latch I06 with a notch I08 in the pivoted arm 56 upon which the gate 56 is mounted, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 2. The latch I06 is pivoted to the hopper and isnormally urged into latching position by a spring I I0, as shown. The latch is connected by a link, II2 to a bell shaped arm II4 free upon the shaft H6 and the connection between the link H2 and the latch I06 is a sliding connection, and a nut IIO on the end of the link is arranged to engage the latch when the bell shaped arm H4 is rocked in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 2, as will be described. During the anticlockwise movement of the bell shaped arm and link, the latter slides freely through the hole in the latch arm I20. 115 previously stated, the latch I 06 remains in latching position to hold the gate 56 in an open position during the first weighing operation and the bell shaped arm H4 is maintained in.a position to permit the latch to so function by the cooperation of an anti-friction or roller lock I22 with a of the first weighing operation, the electro-magnet I is de-energized, freeing the pivoted lever I26 upon which the roller lock I22 is mounted and thereby enabling the spring 200 attached to the second arm of the bell shaped lever II4 to cause the lever to rotate in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 2, thereby through the linkage above described, disengaging the latch I00 from its notch I00 in the supporting plate for the gate and permitting the spring 2I0 to swing the gate into a position to close both the bulk stream conduit and the drip conduit.

After the first or bulk load weighing operation has been completed and the gate 55 hasbeen operated to cut off both the bulk and drip streams, provision is made for freeing the spring 06 from the scale beam 60 to thereby expose the scale beam to the total counter-weight 02. This is accomplished in the manner above described by the cam I02 at a predetermined time and very shortly after the end of the first or bulk load weighing operation has been completed. A double cam I32 provided on the cam shaft I04, see Fig. 2, cooperates with a cam roller I34 on the bell shaped arm II4 above referred to, to cause the bell shaped arm to swing in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 2, and thereby free the latch 06 to permit its spring II 0 to cause the latch to return to a latching position. By reference to Fig. 20, it will be seen that the cam II3 upon the cam shaft I04, which normally is utilized to open the gate 56, is also provided with a second rise I33 of a size sufficient to effect movement of the gate from a completely closed position to a position such as is illustrated in Fig. 7, in which the drip stream conduit I4 is opened and the bulk load conduit I2 is closed. When the gate 56 has thus been moved into such position, the latch I06 snaps into and engages the second notch I38 in the gate arm, operating to hold the gate in this position to permit the second or final weighing operation to be completed.

The drip stream then continues to weigh into the bucket 64 until the final weight has been reached, whereupon the scale beam 00 operates upon movement to open the electrical circuit and de-energize the electro-magnet I20, and in the manner above described in connection with the bulk weighing operation to cause the bell shaped lever or arm I I4 to swing to the right, operating to disengage the latch from the second notch I30 in the gate'arm and permitting the gate arm spring 2I0 to swing the gate into a position to close or cut off the drip stream.

After the scale has been reset and locked as will be described following the completion of the final weighing operation, provision is made for dumping the material from the weighing bucket 64, and as herein shown this is accomplished by a cam 292 on the cam shaft I04 timed to operate shortly after the resetting operation has been completed and which cooperates with a cam roller 294 on one arm 295 of a bell crank, the second arm 298 of which is connected by a link 300 and through a pin and slot connection 002 to a lever 304 secured to a cross shaft I10 journalled in suitable hearings in the machine frame. The cross shaft 110 is provided with a plurality of gate operating arms 306, one for each unit, and each arm cooperates with a roller 300 on a bell crank 3I0 pivoted to the side of the-weighing bucket 04.

The second arm 3I2 of the bell crank is urged. in a counter-clockwise direction by a spring 0 and is arrangedto be connected to a gate 0I0 constituting the bottom of'the bucket which is pivoted to the side of the bucket, as illustrated. The connection between the second arm 0 I 2 of the bell crank and the gate 3I5 is by a curved arm 0I0 arranged with respect to the pivot for the bell crank so as to throw in effect a toggle lock when the gate is closed and the second arm of the bell crank reposes against a fixed stop 320 on the side of the bucket. During the operation, when the presser foot or arm 300 engages the roll 000 it operates to break the toggle and through rotation of the bell crank against the spring to effect the pivotal opening of the bottom of the bucket. As long as the arm remains bearing against the roll the gate remains open, and when permitted to do so by the operating cam 232 the parts are returned to bucket closing position by the spring 3I4. The forked lever 304 affords a convenient adjustment for varying the throw of the gate operating arms. After the goods leave the bucket they are discharged through the discharge chute I40 into packages or containers I45 positioned beneath the outlets from the discharge chutes, and provision is preferably made for compressing the material within the packages or containers, as will be described. After the goods have been dumped from the bucket 04 after having been weighed, they pass downwardly through the discharge chute I40 into offset portions I42 of the discharge chute, and provision is made for moving individual plungers I44 down through the offset portions of the discharge chutes in order to compress the material within containers I45 positioned beneath the discharge chute, and the individual plungers I44 are mounted upon a crossbar I46 secured at its opposite ends, see Figs. 1 and 27, to slide members I40 arranged to slide vertically upon slides I50 secured to the machine frame, and the plungers and crossbar are lowered as a unit by a pair of operating cams I02, I04 and raised by a third cam I56. The cams I52, I54 cooperate with rollers I50 mounted upon levers I50 secured to the rock shaft I02 and operate to depress the slide members I40. The two cams I52, I54, identical in operation and construction, see Fig. 22, are provided to equalize or balancethe pressure of the plungers I44 when 7 lowered into the containers I45. The rock shaft I02 is provided with a cam lever I04 keyed thereto, having a cam roll I50 cooperating with the third cam I50 and the latter operates to rock the rock shaft I62 to raise the slide members I40 as will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 2'7.

The cams I52, I54, I50 are'all mounted on a one revolution shaft I00, and provision is made for controlling the rotation of this shaft in timed relation to the operation of the buckets 64 controlling the discharge of the material into the discharge chutes I40. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 the shaft I10 comprises, as above described, the bucket operating shaft, and the shaft is provided with a lever I12 connected by a link I14 to one arm I10 of a bell crank, the second arm I10 of which is connected to one end of a link I00 and the second end of the link is connected to a pawl stop I02. The latter is arranged to be withdrawn from the path of the tail of a pawl I04 mounted on a pawl carrier I00 (see Fig. 22) secured to the cam shaft I00. A ratchet I00 is secured to a sleeve I00 formed as a part of a gear I02 cooperating with a pinion I04 forming part of a compound gear, the second gear I00 cooperating with a pinion I00 connected to the driving pulley 200 and mounted to turn freely on the stud shaft 08. As a result the cam shaft I00 Is driven from the pulley 200 through the ratchet I00 and pawl I00,

when the pawl stop I82 is withdrawn by the operation of the bucket operating shaft I10 through the connections described.

After the scale beam has made its weight at the end of the final weighing operation, the scale beam of each unit is reset and for this purpose mechanism illlustrated in detail in Figs. 2, 13 and 19 is utilized in the illustrated machine. This mechanism .includes a contact member herein shown as an adjustable screw 2|2 secured in a horizontally arranged arm 2 attached to a link or bar 2I6. The contact member or screw H2 is adapted to engage an abutment 2l8 upon thescale beam to force the scale beam downwardly against the usual stop 220 when the link 216 is,

moved downwardly, as will be described. The lower end of the link slides in a bearing 222 attached to the machine frame by a bracket 224. The upper end of the link or bar is arranged to frictionally slide within and through a housing 226 having a friction plug 228 adapted to be forced against the surface of the link or bar by an adjusting screw 230, as illustrated in Fig. 19. The housing 226 is pivotally secured to an arm 232 depending from and secured upon a cross shaft 234, and the cross shaft is arranged to be rocked to raise and lower the parts by the action of a cam 236 mounted on the cam shaft I04 and cooperating with a cam roller 238 on an arm 240 also secured to the shaft 234 and by'a spring 242, one end of which is secured to a fixed part of the machine frame. In this manner the cam 236 operates to lift the parts and the spring 242 operates to cause their depression.

Provision is made for elongating the linkage connection when the housing 226 and link 2| 6 are moved upwardly, and for this purpose, a block 244 which is clamped to the lower portion of the link engages a bearing 222 so that slippage takes place in the friction connection 228 between the housing and the link during the upward movement of the linkage. When the linkage is moved downwardly the lower end of the link is arranged to engage a stud 246 secured to and upstanding from the scale supporting platen, and on continued downward movement of the linkage slippage occurs in the friction connection between the housing and the link, so that the scale beam is brought down upon its supporting pin in an easy manner, avoiding excessive impact between 'the scale beam and its supporting pin.

Provision is made for preventing the operation of the machine after the completion of any cycle of operation thereof until the scale beams of all of the units of the machine have made their weights,- and as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 21, the mechanism for accomplishing this includes a pin 250 projecting from one arm 252 of a bell crank free upon the stud-254, and which is positioned to engage the under side of one member 256 of a toggle, so that when the bell crank is rocked in a clockwise direction the pin 250 raises the member 256 of the toggle and operates to withdraw the pawl stop 258 from the path of the tail of a pawl 260 which cooperates with a ratchet 263. The second arm 26l of the bell crank is connected by a link 262 to an arm 264 secured to a cross I shaft 266 extending transversely across the machine. Upon the cross shaft 266 is secured a plurality of curved arms 268, one for each unit,

'and each curved arm is arranged to be disposed within a recess formed in a counterweighted member 210 freev to turn upon the cross shaft 266. The counterweighted member 210 is provided with a depending portion 212 shaped to form a recess for a purpose to be described. The lower portion of the depending portion of the counterweighted member provides a bearing surface against which the contact member 214 or stud adjustably secured to the bell shaped arm H4 is adapted to contact when the bell shaped arm occupies its extreme position to the left, viewing Fig. 2. As each scale beam makes its weight, the bell shaped arm of each unit is rocked to the right, viewing'Fig. 2, but until all of the bell shaped arms of the various units have been rocked to the right, the depending portion 01' the counterwcighted' member 210 of any particular unit which has not made its weight will be held in a position to prevent the cross shaft 266 from being rocked. When, however, all of the units have made their weights, then the weight of the parts and particularly of the counterweights of the various counterweighted members operates through the engagement of the counterweight with the curved arms 268 to rock the shaft 266 and consequently withdraw the pawl stop 258 from the path of the pawl 260, placing the machine in condition to operate, providing the other conditions to be described are fulfilled.

In the event that any unit of the machine operates during any cycle to introduce into the buckets 64 an overload during the first part of the weighing operation, as for example, when an excessive bulk load is thus introduced, provision is made for stopping the machine at the end of that cycle and preventing the next cycle of operation of the machine from continuing. For this purpose I may provide any usual or preferred form of overload safety device, and in Figs. 16, 17, 18 and 21 I have illustrated one form of such mechanism. As therein shown the cam shaft I04 is provided with an operating cam 216 adapted to cooperate with a cam roll218 at the end of a lever 280 pivotally mounted upon a second lever 284 secured to a cross shaft 282. The levers 282., 284 normally act as one arm being held in an extended position by suitable stop lugs and a spring 286 as shown. However, under certain conditions of operation, as will be described, the arm 280 is permitted to yield, as shown in Fig. 18. The cross shaft 282 is also provided with a series of latch members 288, one for each unit of the machine, secured to the cross shaft 282, and these latch members are arranged to cooperate with the depending portions of the counterweight members 216 above referred to. Referring now to Figs. 16, 17 and 18, it will be observed that at the first weighing cycle of operation of the machine the cam 216 operates to "move the latch member 288 through rocking of the rock shaft 282 from the position shown in Fig. 16 to that shown in Fig. 17, unless the scale has balanced prematurely, in which case the latch member will have caught in the recess 298 in the depending portion of the counterweight member, so that as the cam continues to revolve, the end of the cam arm 280 pivots into the position shown inFig. 1a, the spring 286 yielding at this time. The latch member 288 holds the cross shaft 266 from rocking and prevents the machine from being started upon itsnext cycle of operation. Referring now to Fig. 10, a second pawl 258 is provided which is arranged to engage the teeth of a second ratchet 265 at the end of each revolution of the clutch to prevent the reversal or backlash of the driving members when the pawl stops are actuated. Normally the pawl 259 is disengaged by a roll 26! mounted on a lever 268 which ism;

also urged into a depression 21I in the disc 366 by a spring 213.

The weighing machine is driven from a motor 322, as best shown in Fig. 3, through connections including a belt 324, a pulley 326 on the motor shaft 326, and large pulley 266 on the countershaft 262. The countershaft 262 is also provided with a smaller pulley 334 which is connected by a belt 336 to a pulley 336 on a drive shaft 340. Provision is made for driving the fluted feeding drum 49 in the same direction but at different speeds from the drive shaft 346. In the operation of the machine the fluted feed drum 49 is rotated at a relatively high speed during the first or bulk weighing operation, and then its speed is automatically reduced, herein shown to half its high speed when the second or final weighing operation is taking place. As shown in Fig. 2, the feed drum is connected by sprockets 342, 344 and a chain 345 to a hopper drive shaft 346, and the latter is arranged to be driven from the driving shaft 346 at either high or low speeds by two independent sets of gear trains arranged to be automatically connected at the proper time in the operation of the machine to the drive shaft 346 by clutch members indicated generally at 341. Referring now to Figs. 9 and 11, the drive shaft 340 is provided with a pinion 348 fast thereon which is arranged to mesh with an idler gear 350 and drives therethrough to a spur gear 352 mounted upon a sleeve 354 free on the cam shaft I64. The sleeve is thus driven continuously from the drive shaft 340 and the sleeve is provided with a movable double clutch member 356 arranged to slide thereonbut to be rotated thereby, as for example, by the usual key 356 and keyway. The double clutch member 356, as herein shown, is provided with teeth on the opposite surfaces thereof, and when moved to the right, viewing Fig. 9, is arranged to engage the driven member 360 of a clutch having a gear 362 formed integrally therewith. The gear 362 is arranged to mesh with a larger gear 364 upon the hopper drive shaft 346, and through connections described, when the clutch member is moved to the right, the rotations of the sleeve are transmitted through the clutch and thence through the gears to the hopper drive shaft. When the movable clutch member is moved to the left, viewing Fig. 9, the teeth upon the left-hand surface thereof cooperate with the teeth of a driven member 366 of a second clutch. The driven member is provided with a gear 366 formed integrally therewith arranged to mesh with a second gear 316 secured on the hopper drive shaft 346. The gearing ratio between the gears 362, 364, 366, 310, is such that when the clutch 356 is moved to the left the hopper drive shaft 346 is rotated at relatively high speed, and when the clutch 356 is moved to the right, the hopper drive shaft 346 is driven at a reduced speed. and as herein shown, at one-half speed. Provision is made for automatically shifting or moving the movable member of the clutch from engagement first to the left and then to the right to engage the respective driven members of the two clutches, and as herein shown a cam 312 fixedpn the cam shaft I04 cooperates with a cam roller 314 on a bell crank 316, the second arm 318 of which is connected by a spring 366 to a fixed part of the machine frame and the bell crank is provided with a depending portion comprising a yoke 382 :arranged to straddle the movable member of the clutch and the peak connected thereto by theusual pivot pins 364, so that upon oscillationgof the bell crank by the cam the desired movements may be imparted to the movable member of the clutch to drive the hopper drive shaft, first at high speed and then at low speed. Provision is made for starting the rotation of the fluted feed drum 43 at the beginning of each cycle of operation of the machine and for stopping the rotation when the scale has made its weight. As herein shown, see Figs. 7 and 13, the sprocket 344 is provided with clutch teeth I and forms the driven member 353 of a clutch slidably keyed to the shaft 346 and the driven member 353 is arranged to engage the teeth 355 of a driving member 351 of the clutch which is keyed fast to the shaft 346. As herein illustrated the clutch is operated by the movement of the arm H4, through a bell crank 356, pivoted at 36I, one arm 363 of which is forked to receive the driven member 353 of the clutch and the second arm 365 of which is provided with a bearing surface 361 which cooperates with a screw 369 extending from the arm H4. A depending extension 31| on the second arm 365 is provided with a spring stud 313 and a spring 315 connected to a stud 311 in the arm H4 yieldingly urges the levers When the scale has made its weight at each cy'cle of operation, the lever H4 is released, as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated in Fig. 13, this action will pivot the bell crank 356 counterclockwise to disengage the clutch members 353. 351. When the lever H4 is reset, the spring 315 will cause the bell crank 353 to pivot clockwise and yieldingly urge the clutch members 353 and 351 into engagement to drive the fluted drum 4!.

It will therefore be seen that material is fed through the hopper chamber 12, I4 only when the lever H4 is in its locked position and while the scale is weighing.

From the description thus far, it will be observed that in the operation of the machine at the end of any cycle of operation the scale beam will have been unlocked and placed in a condition ready to weigh. When, starting the machine the pawl stop 256 is withdrawn preferably by manual movement of one arm 246 of the toggle through the operator raising the starting rod 249. The pawl stop 256 is withdrawn from the path of the pawl 260 mounted upon a pawl carrier 365 having a gear 366 secured thereto, see Fig. 12, which is arranged to mesh with a gear 366 upon the cam shaft I04. In the illustrated machine, the ratio of gearing between the gears 366, 386 is such as to cause the cam shaft I64 to revolve through a half revolution at each revolution of the pawl carrier 365 and as previously pointed out each half revolution of the cam shaft is equivalent to one cycle of operation. Provision is made, as has been described, for opening the gates 56 to permit the introduction of the bulk'load into the weighing .bucket, and this operation is performed through mechanism including a gate opening cam I I3, see Fig. 20, upon the cam shaft I64. When the scale beam has made its first weight, the gate is permitted to close as above described, and is then reopened to initiate the drip stream from the drip conduit while maintaining the bulk load conduit closed.

spring 66 is detached from the scale beam 66, thereby causing the entire counterweight 62 to be free to depress the counterweight end of the scale beam, and accordingly it is unnecessary to positively lock the scalebeam at this time. During continued operation of the machine the drip H4 and 365 together.

During the half revolution of the cam shaft the stream continues to fall into the weighing bucket the material into the discharge chute and also to reconnect the spring with the scale beam in the manner above described. 2 Referring now to Fig. 21, it will '5 observed .that the machine is provided with two pawl stops arranged to be inserted into the path of the tail of the single pawl 260 controlling the starting and stopping of the machine. The pawl stop 258 as previously described is connected with a hand control lever 390, and is adapted to be withdrawn from the path of the tail of the pawl by hand. However, in order to start the machine it is necessary that the second pawl stop 392 be also withdrawn from the path of the tail of the pawl 260, and one of the toggle arms 394 is connected by a link 396 to an arm 398 on a cross shaft 400 and the latter has secured to it a second arm 402 provided with a roll 404 which is adapted to slipinto a recess 406 in a disk 408 formed upon one end of a hub 4I0 secured at its upper end to a rotary container engaging member 2. The latter as herein shown comprises a star wheel provided with six points, one for each weighing unit. The locking roll 404 is urged against the disk 408 and caused to enter the recess 406 in the periphery thereof by a spring 4, see Fig. 23, and is arranged to be withdrawn simultaneously with the withdrawal of a positive lock for the disk and star wheel by the rocking of the shaft 4I6 from a cam 4I8 through a cam roll 420 mounted upon a lever 422 clamped to the shaft H6. The shaft 6 has secured to it a short arm 424 arranged to engage a pin 426 on a short arm 428 secured to the shaft 400. The shaft H6 is also provided with a locking lever, 432, the end of which is upturned and arranged to cooperate with a lug 434 on the underside of the disk 408 to positively lock the star wheel 2 and parts from being rotated by the engagement with the containers as the latter are urged forwardly by the operation 'of the conveyor, as will be described. "When the shaft 6 is rotated to withdrawn the locking member 432 from the lug 434 on the underside of the disk 408 and also to withdraw the supplemental locking roll 404 from its recess 406, provision is made for preventing the operation of the weighing mechanism of the machine. When the shaft 400 is rocked by the operation of the cam H8 and engagement of the arm 424 with the pin 426, the second pawl stop 392 is moved into upwardly, withdrawing the second pawl stop 392 from the path of the tail of the pawl and permitting the weighing mechanism to operate. A

second star-wheel 4I2 as herein shown, see Fig.

22, is provided at the out-feed end of the conveyor, and thisstar-wheel is similar in construction and mode of operation to the star-wheel located at the incoming end of the conveyor.

The second star-wheel also connected to the controlling mechanism, as above described, is provided to insure the delivery of the filled cartons from beneath the discharge funnels, so that in the event of ajam on the delivery end of the machine, a new cycle cannot start. In operation either one or both of the star-wheels 4I2 may operate to prevent the start of a new cycle of operations in the event that the requisite number of containers have not passed into or through the machine, the ,out-feed star-wheel insuring the delivery of all the filled containers and the infeed star-wheel insuring the reception of a similar number of empty containers before the machine is in readiness for a new cycle of operations. The supplemental locking roll 404 of each unit must be seated in its respective recess 406 before the pawl stop 392 may be withdrawn from the path of the tail of the pawl. Thus the weighing mechanism cannot start until both the predetermined and entire number of filled packages corresponding to the number of units in the machine, have been removed from, and in addition a similar number of empty packages properly positioned beneath the discharge chutes from the various units of the machine. The packages are moved through the machine by a conveyor herein shown as comprising a pair of spaced narrow belts 500, 502 running over pulleys 504, 505, one of which is driven by a chain 506 from a driving sprocket 508 attached to the gear I92 (Fig. 22).

the latter is connected by gears 5I4, 5I8 to a second stud shaft 5I6 (see Fig. 23) connected by bevel gears 520, 522 to the pulley shaft 524. Provision is made for elevating the containers, when in filling positions, to thereby lift them from the belts during the plunging operation above described, and also in order to assist in providing a tight joint between the mouth of the containers I and the discharge chutes I42. As herein shown, an operating lever 526 free on the rock shaft I62 is arranged to be rocked by a cam 528 and cam roll 530, and spring 532 and is connected by a connecting rod 534 to one arm of abell crank 536, the second arm 538 of which is connected by a link 540 to an elevator bar 542 engaging the bottom of the containers and which is capable of passing between the narrow belts 500, 502 of the conveyor. A similar linkage, lever 545 and link .546, is provided at the other end of the elevator bar 542, the two linkages being connected together by a connecting rod 544 and levers 54I,'543 secured to the shafts 541, 549.

'- As a result of the four bar linkage produced, substantialiy straight line motion is imparted to the elevator bar 542. The arms 538, 545 and links 540. 546 cooperate to form in effect toggles to withstand the plunging pressure. As illustrated, the spring 532 serves to elevate the elevator bar 542 and the cam 528 to break the toggles to depress the elevator bar.

Any usual or preferred form of electrical contact may be utilized in connecting the electromagnets I28 for operating the machine when the scale beam makes its weight. As illustrated in ,Figs. 14 and 15, the several contact members upon the end of the scale beams 60 and the correspondingelectro-magnets are arranged in parallel between the usual power lines, and the arrangement of contact members is such that The chain 506 runs over a driven" sprocket 5I0 on the end of a stud shaft 5I2, andwhen the scale beams make their weights they open the circuits at the contact members 204, operating to de-energize the electro-magnets I28 and permitting the operating arms I26 to drop under the influence of the heavy coil springs 208 connected to the bell shaped arms II4 above described. lnasmuch as the details of the contact members form no part of the present invention, further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Briefly, the operation of the illustrated machine may be summarized as follows: Assuming that the machine is supplied with material and all the scales are in readiness for weighing, the operator lifts the starting rod 249 to withdraw the manually operated pawl stop 258. This action will start the first cycle of operation, per mitting the cam shaft I04 to make one half a revolution. The order of events as they occur is as follows: Each previously weighed load in the bucket 641s emptied into the containers I45, the lever 306 functioning to open the gate 3I6; the scale beam is immediately reset by the scale locking earn 236 preparatory to receiving a bulk load from the hopper; the operating lever I I4 is reset to its locked position as illustrated in Fig. 2 which automatically starts the fluted feeding drum 49; the shutter 56 is opened to its wide open position as shown in Fig. 2 and releases its accumulated contents into the bucket 64; the'scale locking mechanism is released to free the scale beam for weighing directly after the accumulated load is dumped; and the spring weight 66 is exerting its influence on the weighing end of the scale beam 60. The fluted drum continues to feed material into the bucket 64 until the scale is overbalanced, whereupon the circuit to the magnetic coil I28 is opened and the lever H4 is released to 'unlatch the shutter 56 and throw out the clutch 353, 351, to stop the rotation of the feeding drum 49. When all the scales have made their weights, the pawl stop 258 is withdrawn to permit the pawl and ratchet clutch 260, 263 to make another revolution and rotate the cam shaft I04 one half a revolution for the second cycle of the weighing operation. During the second cycle, the lever I I4 is again reset and the fluted drum 49 is relieved of its spring weight 56 and again assumes weighing position to receive the drip stream or finished weight from the hopper. During the second cycle the shutter 56 is partially opened to permit goods to flow from the drip chamber I4 while the bulk chamber I2 accumulates material for the succeeding weighing operation. The drip stream continues to flow until the scale has made its weight whereupon the electrical circuit to the coil I28 is again opened to release the lever II 4 and the shutter 56 is again closed and the fluted drum stops its rotation. When all the scales have made their weights the controlling mechanism again operates to remove the pawl stop 258 from the one revolution clutch 260, 263, and a new cycle.

tainers away and advance a new set into position to receive the material when the buckets 64 are again opened. When the containers have been thus positioned the pawl stop connection 386 from the conveyor withdraws the second pawl stop 382 and the machine is in readiness for its second cycle of operations.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and-described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 79,253, filed May 12, 1936.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a packaging machine, in combination, a container conveyor, a rotary registering member adapted to be turned by successive containers as they are moved by the conveyor, a control means for controlling the operation of the machine to start and stop the same, and connections between the aforesaid rotary registering member and said control means for preventing the operation of the machine until a predetermined number of containers have passed by and turned said registering member.,

2. In a packaging machine, in combination, package filling mechanism, a discharge conveyor for conveying filled packages from the package filling mechanism, a rotary registering member adapted to be turned by successive containers as they are moved by the conveyor, a control means for controlling the operation of the machine to start and stop the same, and connections between the aforesaid rotary registering member and said control means for preventing the operation of the package filling mechanism until a predetermined number of containers have passed by and turned said registering member.

3. A packaging machine having, in combination, package filling mechanism, an incoming conveyor for conveying the packages into filling position, a rotary registering member adapted to be turned by successive packages being moved by said conveyor into package filling position, control means for controlling the operation of the machine to start and stop the same, and connections between said rotary registering member and said control means for preventing the pack age filling mechanism from starting until a predetermined number of packages have been conveyed past the registering member and into filling position.

4. In a packaging machine, in combination, package filling mechanism, conveying means for conveying packages into and from filling position,

1 a pair of rotary registering members, one positioned to be turned by the filled packages being discharged from filling position and the other to be turned by the packages being conveyed into filling position, control means for controlling the operation of the machine, and connections between both of said rotary registering members and said control means to prevent initiation of the operation of the machine until a predetermined number of filled packages have been conveyed from filling position and a predetermined number of packages have been moved into filling position.

5. In a packaging machine, in combination, package filling mechanism, a conveyor for the packages, and a registering member positioned to be engaged by successive packages moved by the conveyor, control means for controlling the tioned to be engaged by successive packages 5;,

and the other to be turned by the packages being moved by the conveyor, control means for controllingthe operation of the machine to start number of containers have passed said registering member.

'7. A packaging machine having, in combination, a package filling mechanism, an incoming conveyor for conveying the packages into filling position, a registering member positioned to be engaged by succesive packages moved by the conveyor, control means for controlling the-operation of the machine to start and stop the same, and connections between said registering member and said control means for preventing the package filling mechanism from starting until a predetermined number of packages have been conveyed past the registering member and into filling position.

8. In a packaging machine, in combination, package filling mechanism, conveying means for conveying packages into and from filling position, a pair of registering members positioned to be engaged by successive packages moved by the conveyor, control means for controlling the operation of the machine, and connections be tween both of said registering members and said control means to prevent initiation of the operation of the machine until a predetermined number of filling packages have been conveyed from filling position and a predetermined number of packages have been moved into filling position.

9. A packaging machine having, in combination, package filling mechanism comprising a plurality of 'filling units, an incoming conveyor for moving a' plurality of packages into filling position beneath said filling units, a rotary registering member adapted to be turned by successive packages being moved by said conveyor into positionbeneath said filling units, control means including a one revolution clutch adapted to start and stop the operation of said filling units, and connections between said rotary registering member and said one revolution clutch for preventing all of the filling units from starting their operationuntil a predetermined number of packages, corresponding to the number oi filling units, have been conveyed past the registering member and into filling position.

i0. A packaging machine having, in combina-' 1 to start and stop the operation of said filling units, and connections between said rotary registering member and said one revolution clutch.

for preventing the operation of all of said filling units until a predetermined number of packages, corresponding to the number of filling units, have passed byand turned said registering member.

11. A packaging machine having, in combination, package filling mechanism including a plurality or filling units, conveying means for conveying packages into and from a position beneath said filling units, a pair of rotary registering members, one positioned to be turned by the filled packages being discharged from filling position conveyed into filling position, control means including a one revolution clutch adapted to start and stop the operation of said filling units, and connections between both of said rotary registering members and said one revolution clutch to prevent 'the operation of all of said filling units until a predetermined number of filled packages corresponding to the number of filling units have been conveyed from filling position and a predetermined number of packages corresponding to the number of filling units have been moved into filling position.

12. In a weighing machine, in combination, a plurality of weighing units adapted to be operated in successive cycles, each weighing unit comp ising a scale including a scale beam, a recept cle mounted onthe weighing end of each scale beam into which material is weighed, conveying means for conveying a plurality of packages into and from a position beneath said weighing units, means for emptying the weighed contents of said, receptacles into said packages, a pair of rotary registering members, one positioned to be turned by the filled packagesbeing discharged, and the other to be turned by the packages being conveyed into position to be filled, control means including a one revolution clutch for operating said weighing units in successive cycles and connections between both of said rotary registering members and said one revolution clutch for operating said receptacle emptying means and to initiate a new cycle of operation when a predetermined number of packages filled during a preceding cycle have been conveyed from filling position and a predetermined number oi packages to be filled have been moved into filling position.

13. In a package filling machine, in combination, a plurality of filling units adapted to be operated in successive cycles, each filling unit including a receptacle into which the material is deposited, conveying means for conveying a plurality of packages into and from a position beneath said filling units, means for emptying the contents of said receptacles into said packages, a pair of rotary registering members, one positioned to be turned by the filled packages being discharged, and the other to be turned by the packages being conveyed into position to be filled. control means including a one revolution clutch for operating said filling units in successive cycles and connections between both of said rotary registering members and said one revolution clutch for operating said receptacle emptying means and to initiate'a new cycle of operation ber of packages to be filled have been moved into filling position.

STANLEY R. HOWARD. 

